Defrosting My Winterized Bones

vacation observations; spicy grooves; plus a bevy of reader book recs!

Hello and happy Friday! I’m writing from the Bahamas, where I’ve spent a relaxing and fun week with my family and a group of good friends. The Caribbean sun and ocean have successfully defrosted our winterized bones: we’ve played raucous games of all-ages tennis, spent hours exploring (and relaxing on) beaches and coves, and lingered over cocktails and dinner each evening.

Oh, and in other news, several of us have solved the mystery surrounding Kate Middleton – if you need answers, message me. 😉

One of my holiday habits is to note things that will be helpful for my next trip – especially if I think we’ll return to the same place. These lists are usually practical, like “pack bug spray and water shoes,” but on this trip – likely because it’s been a while since I’ve spent more than two nights away from home and am traveling with fresh eyes - I’ve also made a list of general vacationish things I’ve noticed and want to remember.

Here’s my list below. Am I the only one “casually” perusing real estate listings every time I’m on vacation, and treating people watching like a sport?!

Vacation Observations…

• I never like an unfamiliar place on the first day and spend the first 12-24 hours mildly panicking that the whole thing was a bad idea and that we should have stayed home. On the second day, I settle in and feel happier; and by day three or four, I have fallen in love with my new environment, never want to leave, and am looking at local real estate, purely for informational purposes…

• Packing a wireless speaker is always a good idea. As is a cooler.

• Wise words from my husband, “If you're going to check a bag, you may as well pack everything you want in a big bag – once you’ve committed to checking something, the size of it really doesn’t matter.” 

• I become ravenous while lying on the beach doing nothing. Take something healthy. 🍓

• People-watching is one of my favorite pastimes, and it’s free! I never tire of it at airports, beaches, poolside, in hotel lobbies, and at restaurants. Make more time for this in real life!

• I never read as much as I think I will.

• Travel outfit idea for my next warm weather trip: an oversized striped cotton button-down shirt with leggings or jeans looks jaunty, fresh, comfortable, and cuter than my typical garb of black leggings and sweater.

📖 String Theory: David Foster Wallace on Tennis: as mentioned above, I never read as much as I think I’m going to on vacation, and on this trip, I have not finished one book. I did, however, greatly enjoy David Foster Wallace’s 2006 essay about the beauty and grace of Roger Federer’s tennis game. The essay was originally published in The New York Times, and is included in String Theory, a collection of Foster Wallace’s essays on tennis, a game he played competitively as a junior. The essay is a nostalgic trip down memory lane for tennis fans who miss Federer’s presence on center court.

📺 The Tourist: I’ve downloaded several episodes of Season Two of this action-packed, surprisingly hilarious, and heartwarming show to watch while traveling home. If you missed Season One, you should definitely start there, where you will find a handsome Irishman, played by Jamie Dornan, suffering from severe amnesia in the Australian outback. Drama and danger ensue, as our hero attempts to find out who he is and why people keep trying to kill him. The heart of the show is Detective Helen Chambers, played by Aussie Danielle Macdonald; and her toxically masculine fiance, Ethan Krum, provides laugh-out-loud light relief.

📖 Reader Book Recommendations: Last week, vastly overestimating my ability to focus while beaching and people-watching, I asked you to recommend books to read on my vacation. I received so many great suggestions for books of all genres that I had to share them - see below! Thank you to everyone who reached out - and while I haven’t made any headway on these yet, they’re all now on my list to read in the coming weeks.¹

Sara Jane Mercer

wrote, “Have you read The Bee Sting? That was one I really liked recently!”

Anna “just finished Lola in the Mirror and loved it!”

Tracy highly recommends Elizabeth Jane Howard’s novels: “The Cazalet Chronicles or anything else she’s written.” They’re focused on “Upper middle-class families between the wars…but all from the women’s perspective. And all centered around a rambling old house in the countryside. It’s like literary dessert!”

Fiamma says, “Not exactly light spring break fare but both excellent reads and well written: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah; and Diplomatic: A Washington Memoir by Joe Hockey. This book is interesting as it spends a lot of time on Joe’s time as the Australian Ambassador to the US during the Trump administration and is kinda interesting given all that is going on in the Republican race. It is not a “political” book so to speak. It is about his experience as a diplomat and it is Australian humour funny.”

Bud, a history buff who also happens to be my father-in-law, recommends Franklin & Washington: The Founding Partnership by Edward Larson.

Ginny suggested “two great reads that are fictionalized but fact-based: The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen and Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.”

Liz recommended Art Heals: How Creativity Cures the Soul, which sounds right up my alley!

And

Aja Frost

said, “…any book by Elinor Lipman: her writing is funny, self-aware, and well-paced. The Throwback Special by Chris Bachelder: I read this book despite being totally uninterested in the premise (a group of men getting together for their annual NFL play reenactment) and found it extremely entertaining and insightful. Eligible by Curtis Sittenfield: if you haven’t already read it! A very charming contemporary retelling of Pride & Prejudice.”

---

👓Looking for something else to watch or read? More ideas here:

📆 March 2024 Recs // 📖 Books // 📺 TV Shows // 🍿 Movies

---

In Case You Missed It: Addictively spicy grooves and tasty food in stunning locations //
Straight talk about star signs (I still identify as a Virgo) // How to eat a pineapple without using a knife! // Talking with fashion founder, Veronica Swanson Beard // A hilarious highlight reel for Jenna Maroney fans // Behind-the-scenes with Buckingham Palace PR this week //

---

Thank you for reading and see you next Friday! xo Amelia

---

Did you know? Clicking the ❤️ button at the top or bottom of this email supports my work!❤️

Was this forwarded to you, or did you click a link on Instagram or Facebook?
🔔 Subscribe for free to receive weekly recommendations for books, TV shows, movies, and more; plus essays and how-to’s on adding happiness and meaning to every day.

1. except for Eligible, Born a Crime, and Middlesex, all of which I’ve previously read and recommend!